Accra: The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has reported the death of the second accused, James Keck Osei, in the ongoing Tema Port rice scandal case. This case involves Issah Seidu and three other individuals. The announcement was made during court proceedings on May 15, 2026, when lawyers for the first and third accused persons informed the court of Osei's demise.
According to Ghana Web, the court was previously informed about the situation, and official communication regarding the death has been directed to the Office of the Special Prosecutor. During the court session, it was also noted that proceedings had been adjourned pending a decision by the Supreme Court in the case of Noah Ephraim Adamptey v. Attorney-General. The judgment in this matter remains pending, prompting a request for further adjournment.
The first, third, and fourth accused persons attended the hearing, where the court rescheduled the case to June 16, 2026. This development follows an earlier incident reported by GhanaWeb, where James Keck Osei was arrested at Accra International Airport as he attempted to leave the country without authorization, violating his bail terms.
Prosecutors revealed that Osei was intercepted by immigration officials and transferred to the OSP. Following this, the OSP sought the revocation of Osei's bail, requesting the court to remand him in custody until the trial's conclusion. However, his lawyers opposed the application, claiming that Osei was traveling to attend a seminar on his employer's nomination.
The Tema Port rice scandal case, as detailed on the OSP's website under the reference CR/0513/2025, involves allegations of corruption against four public officials. They are accused of attempting to unlawfully acquire 10 containers of rice imported from Thailand in 2022. The rice was fraudulently claimed by Issah Seidu using an uncertified Bill of Lading and unauthorized documentation.
Customs officials, John Abban and Peter Archibold Hyde, were allegedly complicit in the scheme by failing to verify the rice's ownership and attempting to process the goods for auction in Seidu's favor. The plot was uncovered through internal reviews and a civil suit, revealing that the goods did not belong to Seidu.